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Mania & Hypomania

Disclaimer:

This publication is based on a Mind UK publication and the original version may be found here: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/a-z-mental-health/

Thank you to Mind UK for sharing their valuable content with us. Content included in Mental Health A-Z is made available free of charge and does not form part of any commercial activity. The adaptation has been done independently by Mind HK and is intended for general information purposes only.

What are hypomania and mania? 

Hypomania and mania are periods of over-active and excited behaviour that can have a significant impact on your day-to-day life. 

  • Hypomania is a milder version of mania that lasts for a short period (usually a few days) 
  • Mania is a more severe form that lasts for a longer period (a week or more) 

You might have hypomania and/or mania on their own or as part of some mental health problems – including bipolar disorder, seasonal affective disorder, postpartum psychosis or schizoaffective disorder. 

Some people find hypomania and mania enjoyable. Or you might find them very uncomfortable, distressing or unpleasant. 

“I love being hypomanic because I feel as though I’m on top of the world and can and will do anything I want, but I hate it because I feel so disconnected from everyone else.” 

Hypomania 

Hypomania lasts for a few days, and can feel more manageable than mania. It can still have a disruptive effect on your life and people may notice a change in your mood and behaviour. But you will usually be able to continue with your daily activities without these being too badly affected. 

Symptoms of hypomania can include: 

How you might feel 

You may feel: 

  • happy, euphoric or a sense of wellbeing 
  • very excited, like you can’t get your words out fast enough 
  • irritable and agitated 
  • increased sexual energy 
  • easily distracted, like your thoughts are racing, or you can’t concentrate.

How you might behave 

Your behaviour may include: 

  • being more active than usual 
  • talking a lot or speaking very quickly 
  • being very friendly 
  • sleeping very little 
  • spending money excessively 
  • losing social inhibitions or taking risks. 

“Everything is extremely bright and loud and everything inside my head is moving extremely fast. I’m irritated with everyone because no-one talks or does things as fast as I do. It’s amazing but horrible at the same time… it’s like I’m in my own amazing colourful world but everyone else is still stuck in the normal dull grey one.” 

Mania 

Mania lasts for a week or more and has a severe negative impact on your ability to do your usual day-to-day activities – often disrupting or stopping these completely. Severe mania is very serious, and often needs to be treated in hospital. 

Symptoms of mania can include any of the symptoms of hypomania listed above, and can also include: 

How you might feel 

You may feel: 

  • happy, euphoric or a sense of wellbeing 
  • uncontrollably excited, like you can’t get your words out fast enough 
  • irritable and agitated 
  • increased sexual energy 
  • easily distracted, like your thoughts are racing, or you can’t concentrate 
  • very confident or adventurous 
  • like you are untouchable or can’t be harmed 
  • like you can perform physical and mental tasks better than normal 
  • like you understand, see or hear things that other people can’t. 

How you might behave 

Your behaviour may include: 

  • being more active than usual 
  • talking a lot, speaking very quickly, or not making sense to other people 
  • being very friendly 
  • saying or doing things that are inappropriate and out of character 
  • sleeping very little or not at all 
  • being rude or aggressive 
  • misusing drugs or alcohol 
  • spending money excessively or in a way that is unusual for you 
  • losing social inhibitions 
  • taking serious risks with your safety. 

“My speech started getting really fast… I became aggressive and thought that I could solve the world’s problems by myself. I didn’t sleep, hardly ate or drank and had so much energy that I would pace around the room.” 

After an episode 

After a hypomanic or manic episode, you might: 

  • feel very unhappy or ashamed about how you behaved 
  • have made commitments or taken on responsibilities that now feel unmanageable 
  • have only a few clear memories of what happened while you were hypomanic or manic, or none at all 
  • feel very tired and need a lot of sleep and rest 
  • if you experience hypomania or mania as part of another mental health problem, such as bipolar disorder or schizoaffective disorder, you may find that the episode is followed by a period of depression. 

If you drive, you should discuss with your family doctor about the safety of driving, you may also have to inform the Hong Kong Transport Department

“Then comes the inevitable crash – waking up one morning after finally sleeping for about 12 hours for the first time in a week and realising I’ve spent all my money, applied to study courses and for jobs I’m not even qualified for, and fallen out with everyone who tried to calm me down.” 

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What is iACT Service?

Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) is one of the services from Mind HK. Trained Wellbeing Practitioners will offer initial assessment and early intervention for people dealing with mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other emotional difficulties.

 

The service includes 6-8 sessions of low-intensity psychological support, the flexibility of the service allows individuals to receive free and timely support when needed.

If you’re aged between 18 – 65 and are facing some emotional challenges, we would like to invite you to take an online assessment for us to gain a better understanding of your current emotional struggle.

 

If you’re eligible, we’ll get you connected with a Wellbeing Practitioner within two weeks to sort out the next steps.

The service runs for about 3 months and includes 6-8 support sessions, tailored to your needs.

 

We encourage you to attend all sessions and actively practice the tips and exercises provided by your Wellbeing Practitioner.

We take your privacy seriously. Your chats with the Wellbeing Practitioner are confidential.

 

We won’t share any of your info unless you’ve provided consent or if there are risks detected.

This programme isn’t suitable for people facing emergencies, major setbacks, or those diagnosed with serious or complex mental health conditions.

 

If you’re having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, this programme might not meet your needs, so please seek help right away. You can check out Mind HK’s “Find Help Now” page for immediate information and services.

Most of our Wellbeing Practitioners have backgrounds in psychology or counselling and are passionate about mental health. They’ve gone through about 140 hours of intensive training and completed at least 120 hours of supervised clinical practice over 9 months to ensure the quality of service.

 

They’re trained by accredited local experts in the mental health field, including clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, counsellors, and psychiatrists. Plus, we regularly check how effective our services are. All service outputs and performances are subject to consistent monitoring.

Who is suitable for participating in this programme?

This programme welcomes anyone between the ages of 18 and 65 who may be feeling lost or facing emotional difficulties. Please note that this programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions.

This programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions, but suitable for those who experience mild to severe moderate anxiety, mild to moderate depression, or other emotional challenges. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

After signing up, our Wellbeing Practitioner will contact you within two weeks to schedule a convenient time for a 45-minute conversation, either via video or phone call, according to your preference. During the conversation, the Wellbeing Practitioner will understand your current situation and help you gain a better understanding of your emotional state based on the questionnaire you filled out during application. Additionally, they will provide recommendations for appropriate community resources based on your needs, helping you take an important first step in taking care of your mental health.

Although the intervention procedure is mostly standardised, Wellbeing Practitioners will work flexibly with clients to address individual presenting problems and unique characteristics.

Our Wellbeing Practitioners are trained to support people who experience mild to moderate mental health difficulties primarily. This programme is not suitable for the situations mentioned above. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

Your conversations with the Wellbeing Practitioner are absolutely confidential. Any information about you will not be shared with anyone without your consent unless you or others are at immediate risk or the Wellbeing Practitioner has reason to believe that you may be in imminent danger.
Supervisors will monitor trainees’ development throughout the placement to ensure that they are meeting the required level of competency to pass the training course at the end of the placement.

Yes, it is necessary to book an appointment in advance by filling out the form. Additionally, you can select one of the five stores yourself. We will allocate clients to different Wellbeing Practitioners based on their chosen location.

Before having the conversation, we will ask you to fill out a basic questionnaire for preliminary screening assessment. This screening process aims to ensure that the training received by the Wellbeing Practitioners is sufficient to meet the needs of the individuals receiving the service. If it is determined after the screening assessment that the service is not suitable for you, Mind HK will provide alternative recommendations to ensure your safety and support.

For adults who are suitable for this service, all Wellbeing Practitioners have received training on how to identify and respond to safety and risk issues. If you have any concerns about the support process, the Wellbeing Practitioners have appropriate measures in place and will develop response plans based on the urgency of the situation. They can also access support from clinical practitioners from Mind HK or participating organisations.

What private training does Mind HK provide?

Mind HK provides 4 themes of mental health training, including: Supporting Self, Supporting Others, Family Wellbeing and DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).

 

Check out the brochure here for more information.

Mind HK provides a wide range of standardised mental health training, which can be tailored to different circumstances. Chat with our team to explore more! 

Our trainers come from a diverse, accredited pool of clinically experienced professionals. Check out our trainers’ biographies here.

Yes, the Mental Health First Aid class of Mind HK is internationally accredited by the MHFA International. The content and certification is delivered by trainers certified from the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. You can find out our trainers accreditation here.

We are here to support your mental health education journey! Reach out to us and chat with our team.

What are hypomania and mania?

What are hypomania and mania? 

Hypomania and mania are periods of over-active and excited behaviour that can have a significant impact on your day-to-day life. 

  • Hypomania is a milder version of mania that lasts for a short period (usually a few days) 
  • Mania is a more severe form that lasts for a longer period (a week or more) 

You might have hypomania and/or mania on their own or as part of some mental health problems – including bipolar disorder, seasonal affective disorder, postpartum psychosis or schizoaffective disorder. 

Some people find hypomania and mania enjoyable. Or you might find them very uncomfortable, distressing or unpleasant. 

"I love being hypomanic because I feel as though I’m on top of the world and can and will do anything I want, but I hate it because I feel so disconnected from everyone else." 

Hypomania 

Hypomania lasts for a few days, and can feel more manageable than mania. It can still have a disruptive effect on your life and people may notice a change in your mood and behaviour. But you will usually be able to continue with your daily activities without these being too badly affected. 

Symptoms of hypomania can include: 

How you might feel 

You may feel: 

  • happy, euphoric or a sense of wellbeing 
  • very excited, like you can’t get your words out fast enough 
  • irritable and agitated 
  • increased sexual energy 
  • easily distracted, like your thoughts are racing, or you can't concentrate.

How you might behave 

Your behaviour may include: 

  • being more active than usual 
  • talking a lot or speaking very quickly 
  • being very friendly 
  • sleeping very little 
  • spending money excessively 
  • losing social inhibitions or taking risks. 

"Everything is extremely bright and loud and everything inside my head is moving extremely fast. I’m irritated with everyone because no-one talks or does things as fast as I do. It’s amazing but horrible at the same time... it’s like I’m in my own amazing colourful world but everyone else is still stuck in the normal dull grey one." 

Mania 

Mania lasts for a week or more and has a severe negative impact on your ability to do your usual day-to-day activities – often disrupting or stopping these completely. Severe mania is very serious, and often needs to be treated in hospital. 

Symptoms of mania can include any of the symptoms of hypomania listed above, and can also include: 

How you might feel 

You may feel: 

  • happy, euphoric or a sense of wellbeing 
  • uncontrollably excited, like you can’t get your words out fast enough 
  • irritable and agitated 
  • increased sexual energy 
  • easily distracted, like your thoughts are racing, or you can't concentrate 
  • very confident or adventurous 
  • like you are untouchable or can't be harmed 
  • like you can perform physical and mental tasks better than normal 
  • like you understand, see or hear things that other people can't. 

How you might behave 

Your behaviour may include: 

  • being more active than usual 
  • talking a lot, speaking very quickly, or not making sense to other people 
  • being very friendly 
  • saying or doing things that are inappropriate and out of character 
  • sleeping very little or not at all 
  • being rude or aggressive 
  • misusing drugs or alcohol 
  • spending money excessively or in a way that is unusual for you 
  • losing social inhibitions 
  • taking serious risks with your safety. 

"My speech started getting really fast... I became aggressive and thought that I could solve the world's problems by myself. I didn’t sleep, hardly ate or drank and had so much energy that I would pace around the room." 

After an episode 

After a hypomanic or manic episode, you might: 

  • feel very unhappy or ashamed about how you behaved 
  • have made commitments or taken on responsibilities that now feel unmanageable 
  • have only a few clear memories of what happened while you were hypomanic or manic, or none at all 
  • feel very tired and need a lot of sleep and rest 
  • if you experience hypomania or mania as part of another mental health problem, such as bipolar disorder or schizoaffective disorder, you may find that the episode is followed by a period of depression. 

If you drive, you should discuss with your family doctor about the safety of driving, you may also have to inform the Hong Kong Transport Department

"Then comes the inevitable crash – waking up one morning after finally sleeping for about 12 hours for the first time in a week and realising I’ve spent all my money, applied to study courses and for jobs I’m not even qualified for, and fallen out with everyone who tried to calm me down."